1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a snow removing machine including a chute and a blower for blowing snow into the chute, and in particularly to the chute structured or designed to throw such snow towards a desired point.
2. Description of the Related Art
Known snow removing machines include auger members for collecting snow piled up on roads, and blowers for blowing the collected snow into chutes connected to the blowers. The chutes throw such snow towards desired points. The chutes are rotatable or bendable to throw the snow by selected distances or in selected directions. One example of such chutes is known from Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open Publication No. 63-76025 entitled xe2x80x9cHINGED STRUCTURE OF CHUTE FOR SNOW REMOVING MACHINExe2x80x9d. The disclosed snow removing machine comprises a chute. FIG. 13 hereof shows such a chute 100. The chute 100 includes a chute body 107a and a chute guide 107b attached via a hinge member 109 to the chute body 107a. The hinge member 109 includes first and second halves 109a, 109b connected together. The chute guide 107b has an arcuate portion 110 configured to close gaps (not shown) formed between the first and second halves 109a, 109b. Provision of the arcuate portion 110 prevents snow from coming out of these gaps.
However, the chute 100 faces one problem that clearances 104, 104 are necessarily formed between the first and second halves 109a, 109b. Some of snow to be directed out of the chute guide 107b would be undesirably discharged from these clearances 104, 104. There is a need in the art for an improved chute structure which provides for the prevention of such an undesirable discharge of the snow.
An object of the present invention is to provide an improved chute structure including chutes connected together via hinges designed to prevent snow from being discharged from between the chutes.
According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a chute structure for a snow removing machine, comprising: a first chute; and a second chute pivotally connected via a hinge to the first chute; the hinge including: a first hinge plate mounted to the first chute and having a tubular portion of length substantially equal to a width of the first chute; a second hinge plate mounted to the second chute, the second hinge plate including a first plate being positioned outside one end of the tubular portion and having formed therein an opening aligned with the one end of the tubular portion, a second plate being positioned outside another end of the tubular portion and having formed therein an opening aligned with the another end of the tubular portion, and a cover portion extending between the first plate and the second plate and covering the tubular portion; and a connecting pin extending through the opening of the first plate, the tubular portion, and the opening of the second plate to connect the first hinge plate and the second hinge plate together.
By providing the seamless single tubular portion having the length substantially equal to the width of the first chute, little or no snow is discharged out through the tubular portion.
The first plate has the opening aligned with the entrance of the tubular portion while the second plate has the opening aligned with the exit of the tubular portion. The cover portion covers the tubular portion. The cover portion is continuous with the first and second plates. This arrangement prevents snow within the chute structure from being discharged from around the tubular portion.
Preferably, the connecting pin is substantially rectangular, and includes: a body extending through the opening of the first plate, the tubular portion, and the opening of the second plate; a first U-shaped portion continuous with one end of the body; a return portion continuous with the first U-shaped portion and having substantially the same length as the body; and a second U-shaped portion continuous with the return portion and having a distal end laid on the body, the distal end having a surface abutted on the second plate.